The Yeezy market is still alive and well, with limited releases of Kanye West‘s Boost-infused sneakers keeping resale prices well above retail, multiplying many times over. And with high price tags come the glut of knockoffs trying to move in on a payday.
The truest way to spot a fake comes down to a vigilant investigation of the details. The four key areas to investigate, according to European sneaker marketplace Presented By (formerly known as K’lekt), come from materials, colors, stitching and packaging. And each release has a slightly different area of concern.
Bootlegging factories have no access to the real materials used by Adidas, the manufacturer of Yeezys, whether the knits or the Boost cushioning. The fakes often come softer and with a less professional appearance.
Without access to the proper materials, the color is off, too. For white versions, this can mean no access to pure hues. Then comes the stitching. The real-deal Yeezy Boosts have intricate stitching patterns. Whether the patterns going up the midsole to the “X” pattern common on the 350, the patterns on the real Yeezy designs look exacting. The fakes have minor flaws, whether rounded corners or inaccurate designs.
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Then comes the packaging. The boxes that come with the Yeezy have a singular look and the imitations can struggle to mimic the exact box. Some fakes have even come in bags or completely different boxes altogether.
With multiple styles of Yeezy sneakers available, do your research and know the details of the shoe you want to buy. Peruse videos that show the differences and then compare that to what you’ve seen available. In the end, the most telltale sign of a fake: a deal too good to be true.
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